


Grow As We Go

by Denois



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Being Together, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Screen Reader Friendly, Text Flirting, When they use their words things go quicker, getting married, more tags to follow?, non-oblivious!Nursey, unusual in my fic I know, you can't actually prove it's not canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-18 06:34:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29854008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Denois/pseuds/Denois
Summary: For Derek Nurse and William Poindexter, it was crush at first sight on the prospect tour. Flirting by text and meeting up before starting at Samwell the next fall gave those feelings a chance to grow.Falling in love can be so easy, but life can still be tough. But they've got each other's backs and they'll get through it all together.
Relationships: Derek "Nursey" Nurse/William "Dex" Poindexter
Comments: 22
Kudos: 40





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I staged a fic idea bracket last fall and let readers choose my next long form fic to work on this spring. The decision was the "Married The Whole Time" working title fic. And this is that. Getting started in here.
> 
> Huge thanks to [Draskireis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/draskireis) for the beta read and thanks to him and Theo for helping me decide on a plot outline and brainstorm.
> 
> I'm going to try to keep up with a weekly update schedule, but after this first post it will probably be updated on the weekends.

William Poindexter was ten the first time he saw Jack Zimmermann play hockey. 

Tickets to Q games were cheap enough that when his uncle had to make a trip to Portland anyway, he was taken along to watch the Lewiston Maineiacs on home ice. 

Jack Zimmermann was William Poindexter's first real crush.

Dex was seventeen the first time he met Jack Zimmermann, in a nearly empty hockey arena with Jack's teammates and the other hopeful prospects around them. He didn't say anything to Jack. He thought he should have, but what would he say? It had been years since the crush had faded. It had been years since he'd been able to follow Jack's hockey career. And it wasn't like he was going to be playing with him anyway. 

He'd only accepted the invitation for an official visit for the chance to meet Jack Zimmermann, and then when faced with the man, he had no words to say. 

"Can't you picture it? Being at center ice face off with the big windows in the back?! Well, one of you guys would be at center ice. I'd be in the net."

Dex hugged his arms closer around his body. He wouldn't be at center ice. Not here. "I mean, I guess it's all right. But I'm still, uh, leaning towards a state school - or somewhere less... preppy." He wasn't even sure the guy was talking to him, but no one else was around, so maybe. "D-Didn't you say you went to one of those, like preppy private schools, or something?"

"Hey, it's Dex right? Could you take my picture?"

He was surprised Chris remembered the nickname he'd introduced himself with earlier. But it was nice. 

He didn't get a chance to talk anymore though. They were interrupted by Larissa, and then Bitty showed up with swag bags that he was 95% certain he was going to not accept. Student hosts weren't supposed to supply them with _any_ gifts of value, including bookstore items. But they were allowed to provide prospects food, so Dex didn't feel he was violating any NCAA rules by eating the mini pie that was in his bag. It was just the other stuff he didn't want to risk keeping. 

It would just figure that he'd end up being the one penalized by the NCAA for being given an illegal goodie bag.

The rest of the day was broken into a full campus tour, followed by something they proclaimed repeatedly was not a practice, just a fun skills demonstration and friendly scrimmage run by Jack Zimmermann as captain (Dex remembered the NCAA rules about not including prospects in practice sessions with the coaching staff and hoped that they’d verified their loopholes well enough). 

Then they separated for smaller tours and short meetings with professors of various departments so that prospects could see what their academic life might be like. He followed a guy named Justin (or Ransom, as he said was his nickname) with a couple of other guys to the science and engineering buildings. He regretted the fact that he hadn't lied about his intended major, said whatever would have put him in the group with Chris. At least Chris had talked to him. 

Instead he was ignored and he ignored most of the information. He wasn't going to go to Samwell, so it didn't really matter.

They were the last group to gather for the university provided meal at the dining hall, and Dex figured he'd probably just keep to himself again. He could spend the meal questioning why he'd even come on the tour.

"Dex! There's a spot here!" Chris waved at him and indicated an empty chair across the table, next to a, well, a wicked hot guy. 

It took less time than Dex would like to admit to remember the guy's name was Nursey considering they hadn't actually spoken to one another. He hadn't expected Nursey to speak to him. 

"Yo. Looked good on the ice today, Dex. Wonder how they set their lines here." Nursey grinned at him as he slid into the seat beside him. "We might end being line partners."

Dex glanced at Nursey, then over at Chris. He'd definitely told Chris that he was going to go to state school. "Probably not. I'm, uh, I'm probably going to go to state school." 

Luckily, the topic changed after that. Amazingly, he actually started to feel comfortable. Relaxed even. They were both wicked smart, with a lot of interesting things to say, and they both seemed to actually care about his input in the conversation. It was just nice. So, when Chris asked for their phone numbers so he could text after the weekend was over, Dex didn't hesitate to share his with them. 

He was still fairly certain that they would eventually forget about him. They might text at first, but then it would taper off, and he would be at a different school and they'd end up deleting him from their contact lists. But that was in the future, and he could enjoy the conversation for now. 

Besides, he was much cooler by text, when he could take the time to think of his responses and he didn't ruin the delivery by making a weird face or stumbling over his thoughts or something. Maybe they'd stay long distance friends. It could happen.

Several hours after William Poindexter met his first crush in person for the first time, he received a text from his last crush, whom he'd met earlier that day.

> Nursey: you have a problem with guys who bake being on the team?

Dex sighed and rolled onto his side on the small dorm bed in the unfamiliar room. He wasn't entirely surprised that he was being called out on the comment he'd blurted out during the tour. He _was_ mildly surprised that Nursey'd waited to do it via text.

> Dex: no. I thought Jack would.

> Nursey: oh. Chill. Old white hockey family. I get it.

> Nursey: so are you really planning to go to a state school?

> Dex: probably. UMaine Orono would be cheaper, especially with resident tuition.

> Nursey: cheaper?

> Dex: not everyone can afford to go out of state to private schools.

> Nursey: no, I mean, you’re def gonna get a full scholarship.

> Dex: they only have 18. 23 guys. Not a guarantee.

> Nursey: they scouted you. Invited you on the prospect tour. You’ll get one. It’s the guys who send in tapes unscouted or walk on to practice that don’t get them.

> Dex: ... I guess.

> Dex: also, Samwell has Jack Zimmermann, but Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan. They produce a lot of NHL picks. 

> Nursey: oh. That what you’re looking for?

> Dex: it’s my best chance. 

> Nursey: chill.

Nursey didn't text again that night.

Dex stayed up for another two hours just in case.

The next day started with another definitely-not-practice (where he did get put on a line with Nursey), and then a tour of the hockey frat house, which wasn't something Dex had previously considered might exist. There also appeared to only be space for five people to live in it. No matter how many times coaches talked about team unity, there always seemed to be cliques on hockey teams. 

But it didn't matter. He was going to a state school.

They split up for the tour of the town and Chris grabbed his arm. "Dex! You should be in our group."

Nursey gave him a glance and a grin as Dex joined them. "Pay attention, Poindexter. You'll want to remember how to find your way around. Maybe you should take notes."

He smiled to show that he could roll with the chirp about how he didn't even need to be there, and then proceeded to spend the rest of the tour trying to avoid staring at Nursey too much. 

Chris seemed to think they should take selfies together at every stop, and Dex accepted the opportunity to take blushing pictures on his own phone of the three of them together. Nearly all of the pictures had Nursey's hand in his hair, a fact he didn't realize until he was on the bus back to Maine and looking through the pictures. 

At least the strangers on the bus weren't likely to chirp him for blushing again. 

He was nearly home when the first new text came in.

> Nursey: Think you should give Samwell a shot. Let me know if you do.

> Dex: Why do you care where I go to college?

> Nursey: Because, it might be an incentive for me to go to Samwell.

> Dex: You expect me to believe that you'd go to Samwell just because I did?

> Nursey: Oh no. I don't do anything just because of one white boy.

> Nursey: Also because it would piss my dad off.

> Dex: Is that an important feature in a school?

> Nursey: That is the only important feature in a school.

> Nursey: well, that and if you're there.

Dex stared at his phone. Nursey was definitely flirting with him. Which didn't make sense. Nursey was rich, smart, funny, attractive, insightful, talented. And probably a bunch of other things he hadn't been able to learn in two days of tours and unofficial-definitely-not-practices. Dex wouldn't even be a blip on Nursey's radar. He had to be reading it wrong.

> Dex: Are you trying to flirt with me?

> Nursey: Trying? no. Succeeding.

> Dex: oh. I get it. You're good looking so you've never had to actually flirt before. That's why you're so bad at it. Just not enough practice.

> Nursey: You think I'm good looking?

> Dex: ....

> Nursey: I'm not bad at it, but let's talk more about how I'm the most attractive man you've ever seen.

> Dex: I definitely didn't say that.

> Dex: You are wicked hot, though.

> Nursey: Chill. Like the sound of that.

William Poindexter received text messages from his last crush nearly every day for six months. 


	2. Chapter 2

Derek Nurse entered Maine for the first, but not last, time when he was eighteen, via an international flight from Paris to Bangor. 

"Are you going to be okay staying with this boy for a week?"

"Chill, mom. I'll be fine. I'm not even staying _with_ him. You weren't this worried about me spending two months in Europe by myself."

Dr Nurse hummed in response as they approached the area to pick up the car that he'd be driving while he was there. "Maybe because this time there's a boy involved whom I haven't met. A boy whom you ended your European literary tour early to spend time with."

Nursey rolled his eyes when her back was turned, then leaned over to wrap his arms around her. "I'll be fine. And you know it was always the plan for me to fly back with you after your conference in London." 

She hummed again while looking at the keys, then pressed them into his hands. "If it doesn't go how you want-."

"It'll probably still be chill. But if it isn't, that's why I have the car. I can drive down to the City or I can drive back here and get a flight."

"Still not a fan of the fact I won't get to see you. Graduated and think you're grown. No time for your mom anymore."

Nursey smiled at her. "Don't act like you won't be up for the opening game." 

"Maybe before that if you don't watch yourself." She paused and gave him a wry smile. "I've got to get to my connection. Text me when you get there."

"Text me when you get home."

He watched her walk away for a minute before turning to take his bags to the car he was using. 

He had nearly two hours of driving ahead of him, and while they were going to be on unfamiliar roads in an unfamiliar area, like he'd mentioned, he'd been on vacations by himself before in even more unfamiliar surroundings. He'd be fine.

The thought did nothing to help settle the butterflies in his stomach as he got behind the wheel.

It wasn’t the right ocean for a sunset. Instead of golden rays reflected by the unfathomable deeps, the sun disappeared behind trees and buildings and shadows grew across the waves. It wasn’t the right kind of beach for a backward sunset, either, all rocks and jagged edges. But Derek Nurse wasn’t watching for the sunset.

As the gloaming stretched around him, he watched the lobster boats come in to dock, perched on the hood of his temporary car. The poetry notebook, untouched by his side, was the only one of his possessions he’d brought after checking in at his cabin. 

Dex was not on the last boat in, but with all the offloading and end of day tasks, Derek was pretty sure that all the boats were in before he saw Dex approaching him. He didn’t move off the hood of the car. There was just a thread of doubt.

It had been six months since they last saw each other in person (since they first saw each other in person). People didn’t look exactly the same via video chat. The flickery amber light of streetlights did no one any favors and leached color from skin and hair. Dex had mentioned uncles and cousins. 

What if he was wrong? What if he didn’t actually recognize Dex?

Then Dex looked up and they locked eyes across the few yards of parking lot. The corner of his mouth stretched into the small, crooked smile that he got when he was genuinely pleased. As he got closer, close enough to be sure Nursey could see, probably, he made a show of rolling his eyes. 

“What are you doing here, Nurse?”

Just like that, Nursey felt pieces click into place. Of course he’d recognized Dex. They’d talked via text every day for six months, and by video chat at least twice a week. Of course he’d recognized Dex. Nursey had a huge crush on him. 

Nursey very carefully did not think the words that were pressing on the back of his teeth. If he thought them, he might say them. And they weren’t true, not yet. They couldn’t be. 

But Dex remembering his name, using his new name not his nickname, almost made him believe they were.

He grinned as he slid off the hood of the car. “Figured you’d be mad hungry after all day working. Let me buy my new d-man dinner.”

That earned what was probably a real eye roll. “You don’t know that we’ll be partners.”

“Hm. I think we will be. I think we’ll be good together. Great even.”

“That so?”

“Ch’yeah.” 

“You better not order lobster.”

He frowned over the top of the car before they both got in. “Isn’t that like the local specialty?”

“Nurse, first rule of Maine, never pay for lobster when you can get it for free. If you really want some Maine lobster, I’ll get my uncle to save us a couple of soft shells later in the week.”

“Chill. That’s chill.”

Nursey woke up to his phone ringing. Woke up might be too generous, but in his half asleep state, he managed to fumble for the phone and answer the call before it went to voicemail.

“Yo?”

“Hey Nurse. I, uh, I was gonna go on a run. Conditioning, you know. And since you’re in the area, did you want to go with me?”

Nursey blinked the blur from his eyes and looked at the clock on the nightstand. “It’s seven am, Poindexter.”

“Ayuh. I did sleep in, I guess. It’s, uh, it’s cool if you’ve already-.”

Nursey cut him off with an uncontainable laugh. “No. I haven’t. It’s. Shit.” He rolled over and yawned while stretching, trying to will himself to sit. “It’s chill. Sure. I’ll run with you.”

“You were sleeping. Fuck. I woke you up.”

“It’s chill, Poindexter. I like waking up to your voice. A guy could get used to it.”

Dex’s snort was audible through the phone. “Yeah, well, don’t. If you’re not here in thirty, I’m going without you. No snooze calls.”

Nursey managed to be up, dressed for running, and at Dex’s house in just under thirty minutes.

“You made it.” Dex smiled at him from the porch where he was stretching his calves.

“Ch’yeah. Wasn’t going to miss my chance to get hot and sweaty with you.”

“Then you better hurry up and stretch yourself out. I don’t plan to go easy on you.”

Nursey grinned back as he pulled his arm across his chest to start stretching. “Hard and fast, just how I like it.”

Unfortunately, Dex wasn’t joking about his running pace. It wasn’t excessive, and he did actually seem to adjust if Nursey wasn’t keeping up on the unfamiliar roads, but between the long stretches of a steady lope where he pointed out neighbors and places from his childhood around the neighborhood, Dex included a number of grueling sprints, seemingly with no regard to the incline of the road.

He did, at least, slow down gradually as they came back around to the house. Probably anticipating Nursey’s plan of flopping onto the lawn as soon as they stopped instead of doing a proper cooldown. 

Just like he planned, as soon as they were back at Dex’s house, Nursey allowed himself to collapse in the grass while Dex stretched again. He wasn’t completely out of breath, but he still took some time to get his wind fully back before trying to talk. “You always leave your partners panting and drained? That was mad intense.”

“Only the ones up for the chase. Besides, I haven’t left you any way yet. If you’re hungry, I can make some French toast.”

Nursey sat up immediately. “You had me at French toast.”

“That’s literally the last thing I said, Nurse.”

Nursey followed him into the, oddly quiet, house, then through to a small kitchen before collapsing again in a chair at the table. Moments later, he opened his eyes after there was a soft thud on the table in front of him to find a bottle of water. 

“We need to rehydrate, Nurse.”

Which was true, so he opened it and took a long pull while watching Dex get set up by the stove. 

“It’s, uh, it’s chill that you remembered I changed my name to my mom’s last name, but you don’t _have_ to keep calling me that, you know.”

“Do you not want me to call you Nurse?”

“I mean, it’s fine. I like it. You just don’t _have_ to. I guess most guys prefer hockey nicknames, right?” He spun the cap from his water bottle around on his finger, shifting his attention from Dex’s back to the cap as though focusing on something else would make him care less what Dex called him.

“Maybe I like calling you by your name.” 

“But not my first name?”

He glanced up because the silence stretched after that, to see that Dex had turned his head slightly, just enough that he could also glance back at Nursey, while keeping an eye on the toast he had in the skillet.

“Ayuh. If you don’t mind it, Derek.”

He did not spill his water, because that would not have been chill. He did forget to breathe for a few seconds and had to take a big breath before he could speak again. “Ch’yeah. That’s, that’s chill. Whatever you’re comfortable with, Will.”

“Ok.” Dex turned back to the stove then. It was only a few more minutes before he turned it off and brought two plates stacked with French toast. Then he returned again with containers of syrup, butter, peanut butter, cinnamon, and sugar. “I, uh, I don’t know how you like yours.”

He reached for the peanut butter. “Probably need the protein after that workout you put me through. Do I need to save any back for the rest of your fam?”

“Nah. Michael isn’t around anymore, Vicky already moved out, and Ma’s at work til after 2.”

“You mean you invited me over when you were home alone? William.” He smirked and dropped a wink before taking a bite. A bite of pure heaven. “Oh my fucking god. I don’t mean to be mad forward, but marry me and put this in my mouth every day forever.”

Dex snorted and nearly choked, but when Nursey looked at him, he was smiling behind the hand he had pressed to his mouth and his face was turning pink not blue.

“What’s the plan for today?”

Dex finally managed to pull himself together and shrug. “I’ve gotta pack. I mean. I’m not taking much, but it does mean a wicked load of laundry. I can give you suggestions for places to check out in the area if you want. Let you know which restaurants are good. Teach you the secret not-a-tourist handshake.”

“Yeah. I’d like to check out some places, but you know, it would be better if you were with me so you could give me the real scoop. Was thinking the, uh, Abbe Museum? And the Acadia National Park. Oh, and maybe we could go on the Lulu Lobster Boat Tour.”

“Sure, we can drive down to Bar Harbor one day this week. But not the lobster boat tour. If you really want to go on a lobster boat that bad, I’ll call my uncle.”

“So, for today, I’ll just hang out with you. Help you pack.”

“You want to help me pack?”

“Yep, point me to your underwear drawer, Dexy. I’ll get them sorted.”

“Ah, you just want to stay to try to get into my boxer briefs.”

“Well, I’m already so close.”

“Are you though?” Dex smirked as he picked up their empty plates and took them to rinse and put in the dishwasher.

“You wound me, William!” He waited until Dex turned back around to dramatically clutch his heart. “In my own home you wound me like this.”

“Yeah, but this isn’t your house though.”

“And whose fault is that?”

“Uh huh. Well, I need a shower after our run, I can loan you a towel and some sweats or something if you want one, too.” 

“Oh, I’m definitely staying and joining you.”

In the end, Nursey didn’t take Dex on the Lulu Lobster Boat Tour. He didn’t even really try to. As much fun as it was to tease Dex about it, he _did_ actually have enough game to know that taking his crush on a date to his _job_ wouldn’t be romantic. At all.

The look on Dex’s face when Nursey claimed they were headed for the lobster boat and instead pulled up at the schooner sunset sail tour, that had been priceless. Almost as good as watching Dex set up an actual lobster bake on a secluded, rocky beach. 

Dex dropped back into the chair beside him, his arm dangling over the armrest, fingers barely brushing against Nursey’s own. “Almost done.”

“Chill.” 

He couldn’t keep watching Dex without it being obvious, so he looked out across the little cove and the water for a few minutes. “It’s nice here. Pretty. Peaceful.”

“Ayuh. I like it.” There was a pause as he took a sip from his can. “There’s a better beach, I guess, not too far away. Not as rocky, easier to access. Still on my uncle’s land. People use it a lot. No one else ever comes here, so it’s like, my private beach.”

“Oh.” He licked his lips. “Thanks for bringing me to your private beach.”

“Of course, Derek. How else am I going to give you an authentic Maine lobster bake experience?”

Dex stood up before he could reply. “Should be ready.” 

Nursey wondered if he should offer to help, but Dex seemed to have no problem with getting everything out and into a serving pot by himself, which he carried over and placed on the rocks near their chairs before handing Nursey a paper plate and setting up a couple of camp stools to use as tables.

“Just grab what you want.”

In theory, the whole point of this outing was to allow him to eat soft shell lobster, so he pulled one of them out onto his plate, then scooped a few clams and an ear of corn as well. He focused on getting to the lobster meat instead of thinking about how much it felt like a romantic date. Even more so than the schooner sunset sail. 

“Damn, Will. You’re right. This is better than any lobster I’ve had in a restaurant.”

“Ayuh. Not everything that’s more expensive is better.”

Nursey turned his head enough so that he could watch Dex from the corner of his eye. “Ch’yeah. But some things are worth the cost.”

Dex didn’t respond to that, but in the flickering light of the fire that Dex had started, his cheeks seemed to darken. After a few minutes, Dex turned his head and met his gaze, holding it there. “Are you going to eat your food?”

No. He wasn’t. “Ch’yeah. Of course.” He looked down at his food, then back at Dex. “You should be careful. They say it only takes four minutes of eye contact to fall in love with someone.”

“Is that what they say?” Dex didn’t stop holding his gaze. 

Shit.

“I read an article.”

“Wonder if it works through video chat.”

Double shit.

“Probably.”

“Interesting. Your food really is going to get cold.”

“Right.”

He looked down at his food again and started eating. He managed to keep his thoughts behind his teeth until both of them stopped pulling from the pot of food and Dex shoved the soiled plates into the bag he’d brought everything out in. 

Until they were both sitting in their chairs, facing the fire, hands draped over the armrests and knuckles just barely brushing. 

Until he’d waited too long and Dex beat him to it. 

“You never really answered me, you know. What are you doing here, Nurse?”

He didn’t have to turn to search Dex’s face because he’d already been watching the play of fire and shadows over it. The way the light blended his freckles and highlighted his eyelashes. 

He answered with the question he’d been swallowing for months. “Why did you change your mind on state school?”

He saw the glance that Dex shot him from the corner of his eye, and the twitch of the corner of his mouth. “Well, I didn’t change my plans just because of one man.”

“Why else then?”

“I forget. Why did you come to Maine, Derek?”

“I guess there are some things I do just because of one man.” 

When had they both turned to face each other? When had Dex started looking so open and vulnerable? He swallowed past the tightness in his chest. 

“Yeah?” 

“Yeah. Can I kiss you?”

“Fuck yes.” Dex didn’t wait to be kissed though. He leaned over from his chair twisting so that Nursey only had to lean a bit to bring their lips together. 

It was short, too short, soft and tentative. When Dex pulled away, Nursey reached up to maintain a connection. To draw Dex back in for another kiss. A longer one, more sure.

When they broke apart again, Nursey licked his lips. “Do you think we could date? Do you want to, like, be my boyfriend?”

“That would be-.” Dex paused and took a deep breath. “Wicked chill, Derek.”

Nursey’s answering “chill” was swallowed by Dex’s lips and tongue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is using my headcanons about Nursey's mom, Dr Nurse. 
> 
> Dr Nurse is from the UK and has a Doctor of Laws doctoral degree, so she's a legit Doctor. She married Nursey's dad and eventually moved to the US where she now teaches international law at Columbia. Because she already had a strong professional career with her maiden name, she kept it for professional reasons after they were married. Nursey had his dad's last name. Which was, fine. But Nursey is a mama's boy, and wanted to have her last name, that's why he insisted on "Nursey" for his hockey nickname at Andover, and after he graduated, he was able to change his last name to hers. So yeah. Dr Nurse is cool and Nursey loves his mom.


End file.
